Boynton accepts major development bid

The city is inching forward with downtown development plans on Federal Highway

On Tuesday, the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency accepted a request that could change the face of the city's downtown.

After discussion and community input, the CRA board decided that it will negotiate a plan with One Boynton Realty for development of an 11-story mixed use tower, a 12-story mixed use tower, an 11-story hotel and a 50,000 square-foot national headquarters for law firm, Kanner and Pintaluga at 222 N. Federal Hwy.

The law firm, which started in Boynton in 2003, moved to Delray last year and could potentially come back to the city with 200 jobs, said executive director Vivian Brooks.

"The jobs are essential to us. We are giving our all to help make it happen," she said Wednesday.

The law firm is also looking at two properties in Delray Beach, but the city feels like it is at a point where it can compete.

"Before we used to be on the sidelines, and now we're in the game, ready to play," Brooks said.

Even if the CRA is ready to make a move, the residents of Boynton Beach still have concerns.

"Why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?" said Boynton resident James Lynch at the meeting. "Let us know what's going on."

To ease the tension, board member David Merker said "this is my first CRA meeting, and just as you are here hearing about it for the first time, I am too, just like you."

The city issued a request for developers on the North Federal Highway property in February. The One Boynton Realty/Kanner and Pintaluga project was the only bidder by the April 5 deadline.

Boynton resident Ken Hall was concerned with the height of the proposed buildings and hashed out a plan that could incorporate a hotel, office space and residential units in a seven-story set up.

But CRA staff said that there is nothing that can be done.

"The cat's out of the bag, this is in the code— up to 15 stories is legal," said board member Buck Buchanan.

Mayor Jerry Taylor said: "We haven't hid anything, we will schedule two public hearings and it will be brought in front of the commission. We are not trying to rush through this."

Although Taylor said he doesn't want to rush the public's involvement, he did put a little pressure on the developers, as the project could take more than six years to complete.

"I wish we could cut that time in half, I would like to live to see it happen," the 77-year-old mayor said.